Changing backup for changing times

Organisations have more data than ever to protect, the impact of data loss is more severe than ever, they need to recover lost data faster than previously and the available time window in which to do this has become smaller.

In addition backup and recovery technology has become more feature rich and therefore more complex, in order to try and address some of these challenges. This means that recovering lost files can be complex and time consuming.

The good news is that help is on hand. Symantec's Backup Exec (formerly from VERITAS) will be extended to incorporate a Continuous Data Protection version before the end of this year. It is currently available via its public beta program under its code name of 'Panther' and can be downloaded from www.backupexec.com.

Backup Exec 10d will offer true Continuous Data Protection for data stored on Windows servers and NAS devices. This means that every time a user changes data on a server or NAS device the changed blocks are captured in real-time on to disk on the continuous protection server. Now data loss can be eliminated all together, as opposed to the point-in-time approach of traditional backup and recovery solutions.

The built in snapshotting capabilities of the continuous protection server allow multiple versions of the same file to be available for restore, as well as system state information for recovering an entire server.

The real power in restoring or recovering lost files is the ability of end-users to get their own data back. They don't need any special software installed or any specialist skills. They simply use a search engine like front end, which they access through their web browser, and click on the appropriate version of the file they want to restore. This can save enormously on the number of man hours normally taken to restore a file requested by a user.

This continuous protection technology can operate as a stand alone solution or for organisations wanting to integrate it with their existing Backup Exec environment, they can do so.

Continuous protection technology will mean an organisation need never lose data again. It will help towards achieving regulatory compliance through ensuring all data is protected and therefore retained. It will significantly reduce the time and cost associated with restoring end user files, through its simplicity and ease-of-use.